Nick Saban is able to build championship contenders year in and year out using more than just his reputation, and the Alabama coach provided another reminder of that during a recent recruiting trip to Mississippi.
Saban is competing to sign four-star defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, who is ranked as the No. 72 overall player in the country and No. 7 at his position by Rivals.com. When Saban was in Lucedale, Miss., to visit with Jackson last week, he stopped by the Glen Oaks Nursing Center, which is where Jackson’s grandmother works. The nursing center shared several photos on Facebook of Saban signing autographs and taking photos.
It should be noted that a visit to the Glen Oaks Nursing Center appears to be the standard if you want to make an impression on Jackson. The defensive tackle is also being recruited by LSU and Auburn, and Ed Orgeron also visited the nursing home. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn planned to do the same but became ill, so two defensive coaches went in his place.
Recruiting truly is an art, especially in the SEC. We’ve seen Saban step outside his comfort zone before in an attempt to land top players, and that’s what the best coaches have to do. No one understands that more than the six-time national champion.
H/T The Spun
